Australia govt’s lithium price outlook is bleak

A joint venture between uber-miner Rio Tinto and Chinese partner Chinalco was finalized on Friday. The JV, called CRTX, has been officially registered and cleared to do business in China. The new company's priority will be exploring for copper, with plans to expand into coal and potash, Rio Tinto stated in a news release.

Reuters reports copper hit a one-month low on Wednesday, pressured by worries about the outlook for demand after factory growth in top consumer China slowed in November, a poor bond sale in Germany intensified concerns about the euro zone debt crisis and US efforts to tackle its budget continued to flounder. Three-month contracts for the red metal fell to a one-month low at $7,168 a tonne in intra-day trade in London and extended its losses in New York where it was trading at $3.27 a pound by early afternoon, its lowest level since October 25 and down 30% from its 2011 high of $4.61 set in February. Copper used in the power, telecoms and construction sectors is often seen as a barometer for economic growth, but a new research report suggests "Dr. Copper is Dead" and that the red metal, along with oil, have actually been lagging other economic indicators. In short: things may well be even worse than the fall in the copper price suggests.

Uncertainty regarding the never-ending euro crisis and weak data from China sent gold and markets lower. The S&P/TSX Composite Index is off 1.88% and the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index is down 1.93%. Yesterday, gold broke through $1,700 mark but is now back trading at $1,680.

They were supposed to be the vessels that will ferry iron ore from the world's largest exporter to the world's largest customer of the crucial steelmaking ingredient. Instead, Vale's new fleet of iron ore carriers could remain moored at home docks because the Chinese don't want them. Bloomberg reports that the Vale Brasil, the largest bulk carrier ever built, was designed to carry iron ore to China from Vale's mines in South America, but it has not made one voyage in six months of operation. The reason? China is refusing to accept the vessel, which is part of a fleet of 19 ships that Vale is buying from Chinese and Korean shipbuilders in deals valued at $2.3 billion.

TSX Venture-listed GobiMin's financial and operating results for the third quarter of 2011 showed the diversified explorer made a handsome profit on the sale of a stake in a Chinese coal project. GobiMin disposed of a 24.49% indirect equity interest in Balikun Coal Project for a total consideration of $30.35 million, recording a gain of $8.21 million. The unaudited interim financial statements also showed the company ended the quarter with $63 million in cash. GobiMin also announced its Sawayaerdun Gold Project has completed drilling works of about 30,100 meters with 84 drill holes and continues for further drilling aiming to maximize the project potential and that it has extended the deadline for obtaining the mining license of Yanxi Copper Deposit to January 31, 2012.

Reuters reports copper hit its lowest in nearly a month on Monday as investors, already mired in worries over Europe's debt, digested news that US plans to combat debt are in disarray and took in warnings from China about gloomy global growth prospects. While US politicians' inability to reach consensus on tackling the country's debt problems was greeted with little surprise and the Europe crisis has been foremost in investors' minds for months, the statements by China's Vice Premier overnight really knocked sentiment. Wang Qishan said that a long-term global recession is certain to happen and China must focus on domestic problems. China is the world's top copper consumer, taking in about 40% of the world's copper versus Europe that accounts for 19% of demand.

Emerging from a short and distort saga awash in cash, Silvercorp Metals on Monday announced the acquisition of SX Gold, a mining concern controlled by the Luoyang city government in northeastern China's Henan province for $22.7 million. Earlier this month the company, the largest silver miner in China, increased its quarterly dividend by 25% to 2.5 cents, after reporting a big jump in second-quarter profit and record cash flows. The stellar financial results came after a forensic accounting report showed no truth to allegations of $1 billion in accounting fraud at the company which was first alleged on September 2 by shortsellers that had built up a massive position in the stock.

Graff Diamonds Ltd., the jewelry retailer whose founder twice set records buying gems at auction, plans to use funds from a proposed share sale to add stores in Asia as the region’s demand for luxury goods grows. The company plans to open outlets in Macau and Hangzhou, the largest city of Zhejiang province in eastern China, next year, Laurence Graff, 73, the chairman and founder of the London-based company said in a Nov. 18 interview with Bloomberg TV. The retailer has 32 stores worldwide including in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei, according to its website.

Due to euro jitters and the U.S. credit downgrade, investment demand in Europe for gold jumped 135% to a record quarterly value of €4.6 billion. On Thursday the World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends report for Q3 2011 was released. "The increase in overall investment demand was all the more impressive given the sharp gold price correction in September, which encouraged a wave of profit taking among bar and coin investors. Virtually all markets saw strong double-digit growth in demand for gold bars and coins," said the World Gold Council in a statement.